Powell's Last Second Three Leads WBB To Win

Courtesy: ICGaels.com

Release: 08/17/2012

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OTTAWA, ON - Sophomore guard Aleesha Powell's three-pointer as time expired led the Iona College women's basketball team to a 70-67 win over Carleton University Friday evening at Norm Fenn Gymnasium. Powell led the team throughout, scoring a game high 28 points as the Gaels completed a four game sweep of Canadian competition.

After a scoreless tie for the two minutes of play, sophomore guard Damika Martinez's jumper with 7:45 remaining in the first quarter opened up a back and forth first 10 minutes. After a 10-2 run by Carleton over the next three minutes put the Ravens ahead 10-4, the Gaels scored six of the next nine points, spearheaded by a three-pointer from freshman guard Aaliyah Robinson, to get the Gaels within three points. The Ravens would close out the first with three straight points and took a 16-10 lead into the second quarter.

Iona got to within two early in the second quarter, as Martinez scored the first six points of the frame for the Gaels, cutting the deficit to two at 18-16 with 6:39 remaining. Powell would score Iona's next five points, as her jumper with 2:25 left tied the game at 21 apiece. From there, Iona outscored the Ravens 10-5 to end the half, with three points each from Robinson, senior guard Diana Hubbard and two from Powell and freshman guard Kadesia Johnson, putting the Gaels ahead 31-26 at halftime.

Carleton opened the second half on a 6-0 with 8:46 left in the third to take a 32-31 lead. A jumper by senior forward Jiya Dorcas-Eya on the next Iona possession put the Gaels back ahead. Iona had leads of three points twice after that, before a three-pointer by Carleton's Kendall MacLeod knotted the game at 37 with 3:47 left in the quarter. Carleton then took command for the rest of the quarter, going on an 11-6 run to end the quarter and taking a 48-43 lead, propelled by three trifectas, including two from Krista Van Slingerlan.

In the fourth, Carleton continued to keep the Gaels at bay, extending their lead to eight with 6:43 left in the game after a jumper by Genavieve Melatti. Iona began its comeback after Powell knocked down a jumper and was fouled. After completing the three point play to cut the lead to five. Iona would then go on a 10-4, taking the lead, 62-61, on the second of two free throws by Martinez. As the two teams traded points, Carleton tied the game at 65-65 on a jumper by MacLeod with 1:43 left in the game. A Carleton foul put Powell at the line with seven seconds left. The sophomore calmly knocked down both, putting Iona ahead 67-65.

Carleton responded on next its possession as Elizabeth Roach found MacLeod under the basket for an easy layup to knot the game for the fifth time at 67 with 1.9 seconds left. After calling a timeout to advance the ball, Powell took the inbound pass and knocked down a long three to push the Gaels to the win.

Powell scored 20 of her 28 points in the second half, including nine from the free-throw line. Martinez ended the game with 18 points and eight rebounds while Robinson had her second straight double digit effort, pouring in 10 points while freshman forward Joy Adams pulled down 12 rebounds. Carleton had three players in double digits, with Van Slingerlan scoring 18, including 15 from behind the arc.

Iona wraps up its summer exhibition Saturday morning when they scrimmage the University of Ottawa at 10:00 am before returning home to New Rochelle.

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